05-May-2018Foresters falter against ten men the LionsForesters faltered against ten men the Lions in a 0-0 draw at StadLinite on Thursday afternoon in a first division league fixture.Foresters were left to rue a missed opportunity to add to the woes of bottom club the Lions who had lost their last seven matches on the trot.The Lions showed purpose in this match despite missing, some key players through injury and suspension as they went close in the 16th minute from Malagasy EstelRandrina but Liberian striker Mohamed Varney failed to head over goalie Kitson Cecile.Two minutes later at the other end, Laurence Leon played a throw in to striker Ryan Henriette who shot across the face of Lions’ goal.Foresters should have broken the deadlock in the 25th minute from Nigerian midfielder Nasser Muzamir’s lofted pass to Ugandan striker Tony Kizito but he failed with his attempted lob of goalie Randolph Bijoux.The Lions then had two gilt edge opportunities to take the lead firstly in the 37th minute from Randrina’s curling corner which was met by Darren Payet’s glancing header which flashed across the Foresters’ goalmouth.Yannick Charlette had the best chance of this half when Foresters defenders gave the ball cheaply to Varney who tied up the former Foresters’ midfielder who was denied by a fantastic save by goalie Kitson Cecile for a goalless first half.Foresters raised their game after the interval and in the 47th minute, Ryan Henriette rifled a low shot at goalie Bijoux who parried the ball to safety.Foresters then made a double substitution as they brought on Tanzanian Hussein Bakary and Martin William for Brandon Labrosse and Muzamir.However it was the Lions that almost went ahead in the 57th minute from Randrina’s deep freekick to Varney at the back post but he could not hit the target.A minute later, Foresters went mighty close after some good build up involving William who released Francis Nourrice whose superb cross fell to Kizito but he could not direct it on goal.The Lions though were reduced to ten men in the 75th minute when Darren Payet inadvertently stamped on Nourrice who was on the floor after being fouled by the same player.Referee Alistair Barra dished out a straight red card to the apologetic Payet to leave his team with a man short.Foresters had a great opportunity to claim all three points in the 83rd minute from Laurence Leon’s pinpoint cross to Nourrice whose diving header flew wider as the two teams shared the spoils.It was the Lions’ first point this season which pleased their coach March Mathiot when he spoke to Sports Nation.“We had chances to win this match though we are satisfied with a point as the players showed plenty of determination and now we hope to win our next match,” the lions coach said.As for the Foresters head coach, Bryan Bastienne, he was not happy with his team’s approach to this match.“I’m very disappointed with my players’ performance and more so as they did not follow instructions but played individually as they underestimated our opponent,” coach Bastienne claimed.http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=258747

Praslin side Côte d’Or swept aside title contenders St Michel 5-2 inspired by a hat-trick by Malagasy Kassah Voavy at Stad Linite on Saturday afternoon in a match watched by a large crowd, while on La Digue, La Passe won the derby 4-1 against bitter rivals Anse Reunion.http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=259203

23-October-2018Eight years after the Seychelles Football Federation dropped the Seychelles national team’s nickname ‘The Pirates’ a number of media outlets – local and international – are still using it to refer to the country’s team.

This is evident in the number of articles published in relation to the country’s involvement in the African Nations Cup 2019 qualifiers.

It was on March 31, 2010 that the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) executive committee sent a press release to this newspaper (Seychelles NATION) informing it that the local football body has changed the name as a mark of respect for all Seychellois who have been victims of piracy.

The release was published on April 1, 2010.

Since then, the country’s national team are without a nickname.

In fact, it was in June 2006, that the SFF chose the nickname ‘The Pirates’ and it was Richard Mondon of Mare Anglaise who proposed the name.

In an article published on June 26, 2006 in the Seychelles NATION newspaper, the SFF said it chose the name ‘The Pirates’ from the list it received as it was more appropriate for the country’s team.

The first time the team used the name was during the Tri-Nation Tournament organised by the SFF as part of activities to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence. The team went on to win the tournament following two wins on identical scores of 2-1 against the Club M of Mauritius and Tanzania at Stad Popiler.